New York

Regulated Medical Waste

Management and Proper

Waste Segregation

The regulations in this presentation are specific to

the state of New York. For an overview of general

regulations pertaining to regulated medical waste,

refer to the training on MyStericycle.com under

Required Training Biohazardous Waste

Medical Waste Solutions.

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Regulatory Authority …………………………………………………...…………. 3-6

Definitions ……………………………………………………………………………….. 7

Management Plan ……………………………………………………………………... 8

Storage ………………………………………………………………………………….... 9

Labeling …………………………………………………………………………..... 10-11

Container Markings …………………………………………………………………. 12

Training ……………………………………………………………………………….... 13

Table of Contents

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New York Department of Health (DOH)

https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/waste/

• Examples of institutions that must follow DOH rules include: hospitals,

freestanding diagnostic and treatment centers, residential health care facilities

and clinical laboratories, and their on-site waste management procedures.

New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

http://www.dec.ny.gov/

• The DEC has oversight authority for all storage, treatment and destruction

processes located on-site of facilities not under DOH jurisdiction (unless such

facility is considered a commercial operation), for off-site transport of RMW,

for all generators, tracking, responding to illegal disposal incidents, and for all

off-site storage, transfer, treatment and disposal facilities.

Regulatory Authority

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Regulations

DEC Regulated Facilities

https://regs.health.ny.gov/content/part-70-regulated-medical-waste

DOH regulated facilities

Public Health Law Article 13, Title XIII: Regulated Medical Waste

Follow the link (link is external), click "PBH", click "Title 13" under "Article 13”

Regulatory Authority

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Guidance Documents

http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/8752.html

http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8789.html

New York City

New York Environmental Police Enforcement

All generators in NYC five boroughs must file a report

http://www.mystericycle.com/productdata/resources/SWRPLetter.pdf

Penalties for non-compliance are SEVERE

Regulatory Authority

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Attn: Specific Regulation for NYC only –

All 5 Boroughs

• NYC currently requires all Regulated Medical

Waste (RMW) generators in the five boroughs

to file a Solid Waste Removal Plan report

• Generators of 50 lbs per month, or greater, must

file annually. Generators of less than 50 lbs per

month need only file initially

• Reports are required to be filed by January of

each year, but a form can still be submitted if

the date has passed

• Increased enforcement by NYC Environmental

Police is expected for any failure to comply with

this reporting requirement, and penalties for

noncompliance are severe

Regulatory Authority

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Regulated Medical Waste in New York

Five Categories of Regulated Medical Waste:

1. Cultures and stocks of infectious agents

2. Human pathological wastes

3. Human blood and blood products

4. Sharps

5. Animal waste

Please note: In addition to these five categories,

the Commissioner of Health may designate other

specific items as RMW.

Definitions

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Management Plan

• The requirement for a Waste Management Plan applies to facilities

regulated by DOH.

• Each facility shall develop, document and implement policies and procedures

specific to the management of regulated medical waste generated on-site

and/or treated at the facility.

• Such policies and procedures shall minimally include, but not be limited to:

- A description of the types, and method(s) for treatment and disposal, of regulated

medical waste

- Procedures for safe handling and transport of the waste within the facility from

the point of generation or intake to the point of storage and/or treatment

- A description of storage areas, including, as applicable, patient care areas, which

details the location, ventilation and capacity of each storage area, and the length

of time waste is to be retained in each area

- The titles and contact information for persons responsible for monitoring compliance

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• For DOH regulated facilities each storage area shall:

- Display prominent signage indicating the space is used to store regulated

medical waste

- Be designed or equipped to prevent unauthorized access

• Regulated medical waste shall not be stored for a period exceeding thirty

(30) days, except that a site generating under fifty (50) pounds of regulated

medical waste per month and not accepting regulated medical waste for

treatment from other facilities, may store waste for a period not exceeding

sixty (60) days.

• The above storage time limits are for Article 28 facilities and clinical laboratories

• http://w3.health.state.ny.us/dbspace/NYCRR10.nsf/56cf2e25d626f9f78525653

8006c3ed7/8525652c00680c3e8525652c004a45f1?OpenDocument

Storage

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Labeling

All sharps containers and red bags (primary containers)

Shall be marked with the generator’s (shipper) name and address

when contents are from multiple source generators (shippers.)

DEC regulations, each primary container (a red bag)

Sharps or fluid container destined for off-site treatment and disposal

must include the generator facility name and address.

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Labeling

Each secondary container must include:

• The generator facility name and address

• The transporter's name and permit number

• The date of shipment

• Identification of the RMW contents (e.g., sharps, chemotherapeutic

waste, and pathological waste)

• The word biohazard or the universal biohazard symbol

• http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/8752.html

Medical Waste Tracking Form is also required.

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DOT Requirements -RMW Container Markings

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• Since Regulated Medical Waste

contains sharps and potentially

infectious substances, all affected

employees are required to have

initial and annual OSHA Bloodborne

Pathogens training

• Stericycle can provide the necessary

DOT training for your employees.

Please contact your sales or

customer service representative

for details

• The transport of Regulated

Medical Waste is regulated by

the United States Department

of Transportation as a hazardous

material while it is in transport.

All affected employees (those

who perform the functions

of either packaging or signing

the shipping papers) must

complete DOT hazardous

materials training initially

and every three years thereafter

Training

Additional Information

Thank you for your interest in the specific

laws governing Regulated Medical Waste

in New York.

Be sure to also check actual State website

for further details and any possible changes

to State regulations.

If you have additional specific questions

relating to waste segregation or pharmaceutical

disposal, please feel free to email Stericycle at

drugdisposalquestion@stericycle.com

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